Five Years
by CharlieWise
Summary: The Title says it all.


Temperance turned off her alarm. She stretched her limbs a little to let her conscious mind take over. As usually the first thing that popped up in her mind was Booth. _Would the day bring a case for them? Would he come pick her up? Would he come by for lunch? Maybe dinner?_ It was a long time ago that she figured out she couldn't ban the thought of Booth in the morning. If she tried? Well let's just say that her thoughts of Booth were just as stubborn as she herself was. So during the time it took her to get out of bed and into the bathroom, right through the shower and while putting on some clothes she just let her mind wander around Booth. She walked into her kitchen and saw she had a message. She turned on the coffee machine and pushed the play button on her answering machine.

"You have one new message."

"Hey Bones, Cullen just called. We have a meeting with the homicide division. It starts at eight. I've no idea what time we're done. I'll call when I'm done. Don't forget to eat."

Temperance sighed. _No Booth._ She grabbed some coffee and her jacket. She caught something that fell out of her jacket. It appeared to be a news clip. It was the first case she and Booth solved together. There was a picture of the two of them walking out of the Hoover building. She remembered Booth smiling. At that moment she thought it was him being cocky. But they left the Hoover as equals even then. She turned it over where she found Booth's handwriting. _Remember?_

A small smile was located on her face all the way over to the Jeffersonian.

--------((BB))-----------

"Hey Bren." Angela said when she walked up the platform.

"Hey Angela." Temperance greeted her back and she carefully put the bone she had in her hand down. She looked up and put her hands in her lab coat where she felt a little paper.

"I wanted to talk to you for a sec. I just walked into my office and..." Angela said while Temperance got another picture out of her lab coat. It was taken at the diner after Cleo Eller's funeral. The first case they solved together as partners. "My computer ended rendering." Angela finished.

Temperance didn't react. She was looking at the picture. They were smiling at each other. This had to have been almost five years ago. She turned it around. _Working together_ was written on the back. Angela came around the table and looked at the words. She bumped Temperance's shoulder.

"Oh sorry Angela. What were you saying?" Temperance said tearing her eyes away from the picture.

"That doesn't matter. What's up with the picture?" Angela asked.

"I don't know. It's Booth's handwriting. I just have no idea what he's getting at. I found a news clip this morning, from our first case." Temperance said.

"Why don't you give him a call?" Angela said.

"He called this morning. There is a meeting of the homicide division. He said he would call when he's done."

"Then we just have to wait. While we do that, I've identified the victim."

"Oh okay." Temperance said looking back at the picture smiling. She put it safely back in her pocket.

--------((BB))--------

Temperance walked over towards Hodgins' station. She brought the particles that she got out of the hairline fracture in the skull for him to examine. She hadn't completely forgotten about the picture and news clip. But it was on the back of her mind till her eyes landed on an envelope. _Bones_ was written on it. She opened the envelope and she found a picture in it. If she had to guess it was from their second as partners. She was looking at the body with Booth sitting back just watching her. _Bones & Bones_ was written on the back.

"Dr. B!" Hodgins said a little louder.

"I'm sorry. I was wondering if you could look at these particles. They are from limbo case 23A4 C1." Temperance said handing him a small tray.

"No problem." Hodgins said taking the tray from her. He put a sample under the microscope and started to examine it. When he looked up to write something down, he saw Temperance walking away with two pictures in her hand.

-------((BB))---------

She sat down at her desk to get a folder and some papers. She opened a drawer looking for a pen to write down some extra notes on the limbo case and found yet another picture there. It was outside the courtroom after her fathers' trial. It was small and not the best quality so she figured it was taken with a cell phone. She was hugging Booth in the picture. You could see the soft smile on his lips. She slowly moved her finger over his face, before turning it to read _justice_. She collected all the pictures and the news clip in one place and couldn't help but question their meaning. _Why was Booth giving her these pictures?_ She really didn't get it.

"Hey Brennan, Wendell is asking for your help in the bone room." Angela said walking in her office. She saw Temperance looking at some more photos. "You got more?"

"Yeah." Temperance said. Looking back at the picture. Anthropology dictates that pictures are for memories. Something to hold on to, to remember things when they are not there anymore. Could it be that Booth was leaving?

"It's funny." Angela said. Temperance head shot up. _Funny_? He was leaving and Angela thought it was _funny?_ When Angela saw the distress on her face she said: "Look at the changes you see in the picture. Even at your first case you guys were equals. You're just stiff. Next you're smiling. The third shows that you're comfortable working with him being around and this one shows that he's there even if we don't play by the rules completely."

Temperance looked back at the pictures. Angela was right. It showed so much progress. It wasn't till she looked at the picture of her examining the remains that she remembered Wendell had asked for her.

-------((BB))---------

The next picture was found when she was out her office to get some coffee. She was looking for her favorite coffee when she saw an envelope sitting right on top of it. She opened it and found a picture from the diner. She remembered they just closed another big case. It had been tiring but it had worked out eventually. They decided to all go out to dinner and just ended up at the diner. Angela was taken pictures with her new camera and the host asked if she should take a group picture. She and Booth were sitting next to each other, Booth had his arm slung on the back of her chair and they were sitting just a little too close. They were all laughing on the image and when she flipped the picture around she found the word that she was expecting. _Team_.

------((BB))--------

Temperance shut down her computer and gathered her things. She checked if she had everything. She checked her pictures one last time before she left her office. Booth hadn't called yet. So that meant she was eating alone tonight. She rarely ate alone these days. Booth usually called around seven when she left the lab so he could come over for dinner. Well not tonight. At the double doors was another envelope. She took the envelope and opened it. It was a picture taken at the banquet. When she had finished her speech and came down the stage. He was there waiting. He put a hand around her waist and pulled her close. He had whispered _you did great_ in her ear. They were smiling at each other when they were suddenly blinded by camera flashes. She turned the picture to read what it said on the back.

_Partners and Friends._

_Meet me at Ranoi's._

---------((BB))---------

Temperance entered the restaurant and looked around. She didn't spot Booth.

"Can I help you?" The hostess asked.

"Yes. I'm looking for a friend. Seeley Booth?" Temperance answered.

"Of course, follow me." The hostess said and led her towards a table in the back. "Mr. Booth called just a few minutes ago that he would be arriving shortly."

Temperance nodded, then she noticed the letter on one of the plates.

_Hey Bones,_

_I d__on't know if you figured out by now why I gave you the pictures.. One reason was that I wanted to show you how far we've come. From our first case, till our official partnership, to a team, to friends, best friends._

_Yours,_

_Booth._

Temperance looked at the letter. One reason? There was another one. What was she missing? She suddenly a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks for coming Bones." Booth said smiling.

"No problem. What is the other reason?" Temperance asked blunt as usually.

"What day is it today?" Booth asked.

"Monday."

"No I meant the date."

"September 13th 2010."

When Booth saw no recognition in her eyes he said. "What happened today five years ago Bones?"

Temperance tried to recall five years ago today. September 2005. She was on a dig. Came home around the 10th. Where Booth picked her up. It was the case where they officially became partners.

"Partners, we became partners." She whispered.

Booth looked at her. He wasn't really expecting her to jump up and down, but he also wasn't expecting her to not look at him. "Bones? What's wrong. It's a good thing. Hell, a great thing!"

"I... I forgot." Temperance said. How could she be so stupid. Booth was the best thing in her life. Her rock, her partner and her best friend. And she forgot.

Booth chuckled and sat down across from her. "Bones, that's okay." Booth said "You remember now."

"No! It's not okay! Booth how could I forget the day that the best thing in my life happened?" Temperance said.

"I'm the best thing that ever happened to you?" Booth asked with a grin.

"Well, being your partner." Temperance corrected him.

"It's the same thing Bones." Booth said smiling at her.

"Look Bones. I just wanted to show how much this partnership and your friendship means to me." Booth said.

"Thanks Booth. It's equally as important to me."

"And Bones, I wanted to tell you, that I'm sticking with you. I'm not going anywhere." Booth said taking her hand in his.

Temperance looked down at there joined hands. He was slowly drawing circles with his thumb. She wasn't really positive that he was doing it on purpose. Not that it really mattered. Because the feeling of their hands and the words that he just spoke brought a warm and content feeling to her.

Booth saw her looking down at their hands. He was fixated on her eyes, it looked like a whirlwind was going on behind them. She finally spoke after a small smile lit up her face.

"I know."

--------((BB))---------

Booth walked a bit uneasy as he walked Temperance to the car. "Booth what's wrong?" Temperance asked. They had a fun night and talked an awful lot, their hands had never left the position till they were asked to leave because the restaurant was about to close.

"I'm just sorry for today Bones." Booth said.

"Sorry?" Temperance asked confused. "You didn't enjoy dinner?"

"What? No of course I enjoyed dinner Bones." He took a step closer. "I just... I planned this whole day you know. With the team and all. We're the centre but we can't really solve the crimes without them. But then Cullen called that meeting and I had to cancel everything. I mean I made reservations for the two of us here but I had a whole day planned with everyone."

"Booth, it is fine. Why don't we go for dinner with the team tomorrow? To celebrate five years of great work."

"Great idea Bones." Booth said while the restaurant lights went off and the last of the personnel came through the front door.

Temperance looked at the door and she bit on her bottom lip. "It's getting late."

"Yeah. We should go home." Booth said.

"Yes. I'll see you tomorrow." She answered.

Booth kissed her on the cheek real quick. "Sweet dreams." He said and opened the door of her car.

"Sweet dreams." Temperance said while she got into her car and buckled herself in. Booth closed the door and walked towards his SUV.

-----------((BB))---------

Temperance walked into her apartment and immediately noticed a gift on her coffee table. She sat down on her couch and slowly pulled the gift towards her. She smiled when she removed the paper. There were two big picture frames inside. Both were filled with pictures. Both had a picture of her and Booth in the middle. One was with her in a lab coat and him in his suit. He was standing next to her, both smiling. In the other was a picture of her birthday party. Booth was standing behind her with his arms around her and with his head on her shoulder. Again both smiling. As she looked at the collages she noticed that one was definitely meant for her office and the other for at home. The one from her birthday party was filled with photos at parties or at home, at the diner, with Parker and with her family. The other was filled with pictures of the team working in the lab or at a site. With newspaper clips from their most important cases.

There was one extra frame. It was still empty, but she knew what to do with it. She took the picture of her and Booth outside the courtroom and the one after her speech and put them into the frame. She took the frame and walked with it into her bedroom and put it on her nightstand. She changed, brushed her teeth and crawled into bed. She looked at the picture and the last thing she thought about before falling asleep was Booth. A smile appeared on her face as sweet dreams drowned her conscious mind.

* * *

A/N: Okay so this was stuck in my head for a while now and just had to write it down. Please tell me what you think!


End file.
